


No Longer Looking

by FawnoftheWoods



Series: Where the Hitter Is [3]
Category: Leverage
Genre: Cuddles, F/M, Family, Home, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Protective Alec Hardison, Protective Eliot Spencer, Protective Parker, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-18 20:15:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13689024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FawnoftheWoods/pseuds/FawnoftheWoods
Summary: Years ago Eliot was told to watch out for 5 people, they'd change his life.





	No Longer Looking

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this while studying for an exam so I'll proof it next week. It takes place right after the corkscrew job.
> 
> Update: Proofed!!

Eliot sighed as he placed the last knife in the set.  He always was the last to leave the kitchen after the staff headed home if the crew was in town.  Hardison had snorted at that, but Eliot liked making sure everything was where it was supposed to be for the next day.  Nate and Sophie were already gone for the day.  They had been discussing the next client, Nate had a couple and wanted Hardison to run each down enough to get a bit of a read.  Sophie and Parker had done that thing they did where they leave to talk.  Eliot called it “girl talk”, Hardison insisted it was “Dangerous Idea Generation”.  Either way it usually led to Parker getting a crazy idea that actually ended up being very fun and making a lot of sense, after some explanation.  Nate had just waved as they left and Eliot had retreated to the kitchen as soon as Nate and Hardison started talking computers.  

“Cozy.”

Eliot sank a knife into the wood next to Vance’s head.

“Okay, you’re still on top of your game.”

“We’re closed Vance.”

The man snorted a chuckle that Eliot knew very well.  It meant Vance wasn’t feeling threatened, but he wouldn’t say it either.  Because he knew if he brought it up he would get threatened.  Eliot sighed.  It was late and he had a pair of hyper criminals upstairs to come home to who were much more fun than Vance.

“I wanted to drop off this.  I figured your little robin hood get up would appreciate it.”

The folder lay on the countertop.  Eliot didn’t pick it up.  Vance just smirked at him and shrugged.

“See ya around Vance.”  

The jerk didn’t take the hint.  Instead he chuckled again and shook his head.

“You really are staying with them, aren’t you?”

Anyone else, Eliot would have ignored.  He’d already told Vance this.  But Vance had been his leader, later his friend.  Vance had fought against the decision the higher ups had made over Eliot’s assignment.  He’d given Eliot what back-up he could, warned him six ways to Sunday that he was being hung out to dry.   When Eliot left the military for more control over his life and protection against back stabbers, Vance was the person who fed him info needed to ensure the US military had no interest in hunting him hard.   When Eliot left Moreau, Vance had been an under the table source of work while he healed.  They’d been through a lot together.

“Yeah Vance.  I’m staying.”  

Vance shook his head.

“Should have known.  You find all four souls?”  

Eliot blinked.  Abruptly the memory came back to him.

-Flashback-

He and Vance had just finished a bad one.  They were the only survivors of a crew of five.  They got to the man they’d been sent to kill.  They liberated his damn harem to free the ladies while they were at it.  One of them had let them know her father was a doctor and could stitch the stab wound on Vance’s thigh.  

Eliot had carried the big guy through the rain to the village this teen had been from.  Her father was so grateful, he had no problem helping Vance without any questions or alerting anyone.  Eliot had initially stood back, guarding Vance until the man could protect himself again when a troll entered the room.

At first Eliot wondered if the wrinkled animal was even real, but when she looked at him, he took a step back.  Not much could intimidate him, but this woman’s eyes were more than enough.  

“Grandmother, these are the men who saved me.”  The teens comment barely registered with Eliot as he blinked, trying to turn away from the skinny bag of bones that was somehow a woman.

“Yes,  They did.  Son is helping this one, what gift have you given the other?”

Eliot just shook his head and stepped further into the shadows, but her hand reached out and grabbed his wrist like a snake and damn if she didn’t have a solid grip.

“Nothing yet, Grandmother.”

Her smile showed him a line of teeth that, while maybe not straight, looked strong as diamond.  The old crone was not someone he wanted to mess with, though he couldn't have explained why.

“Then I shall give him his gift, hmmm?”

She turned and headed for the table next to the fire, dragging Eliot into the room.  Eliot contemplated breaking her grip, but Vance was still being seen to, and he would look stupid if he looked scared of a little old woman.  He glanced at Vance, but the other man nodded and Eliot let himself be placed in a seat in front of the fire.

“We will sit so these old bones can get warm.  Now, _Look at me_!”  Eliot followed that order as surely as his drill sergeant in basic.  Her hands were warm over his captive hand and he saw that her eyes were not black like her daughters, but the darkest blue, almost slate grey.  He blinked and jerked himself back as a rusty cackle filled the room.

“My you are a handful.”  Her eyes danced a moment before her face cleared of merriment and she met his gaze solemnly.

“A wolf, this one is.  In your life there will be five souls that will touch yours.  It is only when you understand their touch that you will be complete.  

“I see an old monkey, a baboon of a soul.  Wise of words and wit is he.  He will enter you life so that his pain will lift yours.  Surely as you will grow, he shall give you the trellis on which to grow.  His soul will be the very food of yours and you will give him a blanket of safety.  Be wary, young soul, he has a sense of humor this one.  And though he will always be loyal, he may yet be tricky too.

“I see an elegant tiger.  She could purr and preen while her claws are sharpening themselves.  Her soul’s gift to you will be her unfailing honesty and crafty wisdom.  Honesty is a double edged sword for her.  The most honest of us all is who we chose to be.  She will need your help to make that choice.

“I see a pale snake, with hair black as oil.  His venom is strong and painful and he reveals in the pain of his victims.  He will sink his teeth into your soul and watch as you writhe in agony.  His venom will eat at you surely as you invite him to feast.  Be wary of his favor, for it is more dangerous than his hate.

“I see a tall owl, swift, silent and black as the night.  His protection and his gentle touch hide a much sharper blade.  For you, he would stretch his blade throughout the world as a shield, excising all arrows pointed your way.  With his careful hands, he will cradle your poisoned soul and trust it to protect him.

“I see a blonde spider, sure and lively.  She will live in a web that she knows not, but understands better than most.  She will be able to balance on a single strand of the fine thread when you meet, but soon she will learn to create a web to make her fly.  She will know to trust your soul before you even know she’s there.

"The venom of the snake will sink deep within you.  Fear not, young wolf.  The monkey will show you what you need, the tiger will tell you how to accept it, the owl will hold your soul as the spider will remove the venom.  They will all trust you, if you let them.  One day, you will look into the eyes of your family and know what it means to be truly happy.”

Eliot blinked as the woman smiled at him gently, suddenly very non-threatening.  He glanced down at their hands where she was holding his tightly.  He cleared his throat but she shook her head.

“My gift to you is this.”

-End Flashback-

Vance hadn’t said a word when the doctor interrupted the tableau to say Vance was done.  He hadn’t said a word when the old woman smiled and left.  Vance still hadn’t mentioned the old bat as they were given provisions for the journey home and direction.  Hell even after they reported in, he still hadn’t said anything.

It wasn’t until a week later that he said anything at all.  When he did, Eliot wanted to punch him.

“When you find those four, hold on to them.”

Eliot hadn’t had the chance at the time to say he didn’t believe in that stuff.  Vance had left immediately after that comment and they’d never mentioned it again.  In fact, the only reason it stuck out in Eliot’s mind is that neither of them ever mentioned the family again.  Not in a report, not when they were in the area again, not even when drinking and telling old tales.

“You still believe the old tripe?”

“You don’t?”

“Go home Vance.  Say hi to the wife and kids.”

“You better come by soon, Loser, Kelly will kill you if she leaves for college without seeing you.”

Eliot snorts.  Kelly had been in hero worship mode about him each time he stopped by.  Last he heard, she was competing in some martial arts competition.  He couldn’t believe the squirt was already graduating from high school.

“Can I stop by without being arrested this time?”

“Yeah, she didn’t talk to me for a week after that last one.”  Both chucked.  She was a firecracker, like her mother.

Vance eyed him a moment before smiling and waved.  Eliot watched his back as he let himself out of the pub kitchen into the alley.  Then Eliot checked all the locks and headed upstairs.

Hardison was still on his video games, no surprise, and Parker was working on a rig on the table, also no surprise.  They usually waited up for him.

“Doesn’t anyone go to sleep around here?”

Both smiled at him and closed up what they were doing.  Parker simple hopped off the table, leaving her gear where it was.

“Just making sure he didn’t try to do something stupid like arrest you in your own pub.”  Eliot blinked and glanced at Hardison, who ducked his shoulders.  Eliot saw him shutting down the camera views and setting the security system on his night rotation.

Made sense, they were both pretty protective of him right now.  The vineyard job had been a bit too soon after DC for their taste.  Still, he trusted Hardison when the geek said he’d made sure their DC voyage had been wiped from every government servor known to man.  Parker leaped on his back as he crossed his arms to glare at the hacker.  He stumbled a step, reorienting his weight to carry her comfortably.  She’d always trusted him enough to jump on him, hell if he knew why.

He smiled, glancing back at her and obligingly gave her a ride to the bedroom.  Parker slept mostly in the nude, so she didn’t have much to do to get ready for bed, but lose a few pieces of clothing.  Eliot dropped her playfully on the bed and she squealed in laughter.  By the time he’s lost his shoes, jeans and outer shirts, she was down to her sports bra, the only clothing she usually wore when she felt safe in bed.  

Alec’s fingers trailed lightly down his arm before the lanky genius draped himself over the hitter’s shoulders.  Eliot had heard him enter as he chucked his jeans to the corner.  Soft lips nibbled on his neck.

“How’s your head?”

Eliot growled at them.  A little CO2 poisoning was nothing.  He’d shaken it off within a day.  Parker didn’t let him talk though as she reached forward and waited for him to grasp her hand.  She pulled them both onto the bed, working Eliot between them.

“We’ve got you man.  Parker 'n I got you.”

“I'm fine!”

Parker nodded, wrapping her hand around Alec’s, trapping Eliot between them.  “Yup, because your Eliot.  It’s who you are.”

Alec rolled his eyes.

“You got us both, Lil' Mama.  All trapped like in a spider’s web.”

Eliot froze, but Parker didn’t notice.

“I like spiders.  They can get into anything.  But Eliot is more like a wolf, all furry but with teeth.”

Eliot felt his heart rate jump higher.

“What about Nate and Sophie?  What are they?”

Parker thought about it a moment while Alec looked intrigued.  Parker’s imagination was a fun place to explore usually but Eliot’s head was spinning.

“Sophie is like one of those big cats, maybe a tiger.  She’s elegant and strong.”

“Yeah,”  Alec snorted, “And if her fur is in a knot, she gets all offended and pretend she isn’t.”

Parker blinked at him in confusion, but apprently she didn’t feel the need to ask, because she continued on her previous thought, “Nate is that old guy from the Lion movie.  You know, the one that hits the lion on the head to convince him to go fight to the death.”  

“That’s a baboon, Hun.”  Parer nodded happily, “Yeah I see that.”

Alec looked at Eliot at this point and frowned as Eliot sat up and leaned against the headboard, staring at them.

“El?”

Eliot spoke softly, “And Hardison’s an owl.”

Both blinked at him in curiosity, before Alec’s face spread into a grin.  “Cool!  I”m an owl.  Owl’s are awesome!  Night owl!”

Parker was watching Eliot though.  Eliot took a deep breath and shook his head.  He couldn’t explain.  He could barely believe it himself.  

_The monkey will show you what you need, the tiger will tell you how to accept it, the owl will hold your soul as the spider will remove the venom._

They had given him what he needed.  After Moreau’s venom, Nate had shown him what helping people was, Sophie had tricked him into accepting it, Hardison had slipped under his defenses so that Parker could coax out a smile,a little more each day.  

_One day, you will look into the eyes of your family and know what it means to be truly happy._

He looked at his lovers as they watched him in confusion.  This was it.  He smiled and hugged them close.

“I love you guys.”

He was truly happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the grammar and spelling issues, I had to write this so I could focus on the Immune system and the Thymus.


End file.
